Cora McClain | Copy Editor

Now that summer has rolled around and class is out, a good bit of relaxation is in order. However, if the extra time might be a bit too boring, then give volunteering a try. From the local library to the community garden, there’s bound to be a plethora of opportunities for volunteering. But if you’re looking to do something a bit bigger than shelving books, perhaps cleaning up your local environment is more up your alley.

It’s easy to say that the earth has a few problems — trying to solve those problems is a bit more challenging. Luckily, there is an organization that makes solving these problems a little easier.

SOLVE is a volunteering opportunity organization that is dedicated to “taking care of Oregon.” On their website, solveoregon.org, there is a simple search engine that allows anyone to search for local volunteer opportunities in beach, city-wide and creek clean-ups as well as invasive plant removal and native tree and shrub planting. The easy-to-use platform also gives you the date and location of the event, and even a contact for the organizer of the event to answer any questions. Often, the volunteers are provided with gloves, safety vests, trash bags and even lunch on-site.

So, if you decide that you want to take an afternoon to help out the environment, try SOLVE and see if there are any clean ups in your area. If not, any interested person could also organize a clean-up through SOLVE’s site. Visit solveoregon.org/create-your-own-event to learn more.

Contact the author at howlcopyeditor@wou.edu

Photo by Cora McClain